China bars media coverage of Disney’s ‘Mulan’ after Xinjiang backlash

Chinese authorities have told major media outlets not to cover Walt Disney s release of Mulan , in an order issued after controversy erupted overseas over the film s links with the Xinjiang region, four people familiar with matter told Reuters.

Set to open in local theatres on Friday, Disney had high hopes for Mulan in China, but starving it of publicity in the country s strictly censored media would be another blow to the $200 million production.

Starring big-name Chinese-born actors Jet Li, Gong Li, Donnie Yen and Liu Yifei and based on a Chinese folk story, Mulan was tailored to appeal to audiences in China, the world s second-largest movie market.

But mixed reviews online and capacity limits in theaters due to coronavirus prevention measures were likely to weigh on its box office performance, even before major media outlets received a notice telling them to refrain from covering the movie.

via www.cnbc.com